MARGAO
Cuncolim Municipal Council’s first meeting scheduled for Tuesday has already kicked up a row of sorts over the agenda in respect of funding of the Cuncolim Freedom Fighter’s memorial.
Newly-elected Chairperson Prof Laximan Naik has convened the first meeting of the Council with a three-point agenda. One, to form the statutory committees, including the standing committee; to undertake repairs and maintenance work of the freedom fighters memorial at the KTC Bus Stand, Cuncolim (financed by Yuri Alemao) and to commence pre-monsoon work.
What has kicked up the row was the item No 2 listed on the agenda, to undertake repairs and maintenance work of the freedom fighters memorial, financed by Yuri Alemao.
While the agenda on the freedom fighters memorial has come in for severe criticism on the social media, social activist Ronny Dias lodged his formal complaint with the Chairperson, objecting to the agenda No 2 on the agenda.
He reminded the Chairperson that the freedom fighter’s memorial is a public property and the Municipal Council is the custodian of the public property. He further said the Council should remember that it is elected by the people to represent them, safeguard public properties and to serve the people instead of serving some individual for their personal or electoral gains.
“Maintenance of any public property has to follow the due process of law and procedure such as the tendering process and cannot be handed over to a private individual except registered persons to carry on any of the works”, Ronny stated in his letter, adding “individuals, may on their freewill donate money to the Council but cannot use the people’s elected council to dictate terms with their financial powers”.
When contacted, newly-elected Chairperson Prof. Laximan Naik said he fails to understand why certain individuals are trying to rake up a row over the freedom fighters memorial. “The Council has not taken any decision. In fact, I was toying with the suggestion to keep the agenda on the freedom fighters memorial issue pending till we seek suggestions and inputs how to go about the work”, he said, while making a fervent plea not to create an unnecessary controversy over the matter.
